Nightfall

Runi looked around the room and nodded in satisfaction. Everyone was in place, and everything that needed to be there was there. It had been three nights since they rescued the kids from the 'whore house' and in that time, all of them had been getting to know each other better. Last night, as one group, all fourteen new people came to Runi and asked to become part of the link, and become part of the Hawks. Most of them had lost everything anyways. They had been so brutalized that they really had no idea what to do with their un-lives.

What really surprised everyone though, was when ten year old Marco came up to Runi and almost demanded to be allowed in the group. Lugh nearly had a fit when Marco asked. Not because he didn't want the boy involved, but more out of surprise that the boy would want to. When asked, he simply said, "I ain't leaving my new family, like my old family left me."

Looking into Marco's mind, Runi couldn't find anything in there that would not allow him to join the link, and Runi looked for it. He really didn't want someone so young to have to face what they were going to. However, he knew, from the boy's own thoughts, he was going to be involved some how. He wasn't going to loose a second family, and Lugh was now his dad. Not only did he have a new dad, but he had two new older brothers. He couldn't... wouldn't give that up.

Of the others that were rescued, all of them wanted to join. Five males, between the ages of twelve and fifteen, and three girls, also of the same age. None of them had family left, except for each other now.

Not to mention the idea of fighting for something... really fighting for something, appealed to all of them. Not to mention everything that Runi could and would teach them. But the thing that made most of them decide to join up, was really a combination of all of them. They were all spellbound as Runi explained to them how the Hawks of old were closer than family. They ate together, fought together, bled together, and died together. That sort of romantic idea was not something common to these people, and the chance of being part of something like that pulled at them more than the fear of what they would have to do. Runi pulled no punches when he told them of the fights they would be getting into.

Once again, he looked around and made sure that everyone was where they should be. By the doorway was Colt, he was going to act as the 'petitioner'. His role was to be the one who was already in the Hawks, who is asking the rest of the 'Hawks' to allow others to join. He was dressed in a simple white robe, signifying to all that he was still human. His red sash told of his membership in the Hawks, while the Feather of Maat, that sat over his heart, told of his role with-in the Hawks. He was the one to uphold truth, justice, morality and balance.

Runi was standing in the middle of an inverted pentagram wearing his red robe. He was wearing a head dress that made it look as if his head was that of a Jackal. He only wore that head dress when he was acting as the High Priest of Anubis, which also meant he was the leader of the Hawks.

At each point of the inverted pentagram stood the remaining five, Samson stood at the lowest point, directly in front of the door. He would be the one to offer the first 'test' to the petitioning members. He was wearing a full length black robe, showing he was a 'Night Weaver'... a Vampire. He also wore a red sash, his sash had a picture of a female with a lions head and a disk above her head. It was the symbol of Sekhmet, The Goddess of Destruction. He was Runi's 'enforcer'.

Directly to his right was Chris, also wearing a white robe. The Red Sash that he wore had an Ankh depicted on it, representing Life. Runi had asked, and Chris had accepted being the one to offer the second test.

Next in line was David, then Jennifer, and finally Duncan. All of them wore black robes, but none of them had a role yet within the Hawks. They would each offer up a test to the petitioners. Runi thought back to when he was describing this ritual to the six who were already part of the bond. After he got done, Colt hesitantly raised his hand in question. Runi wondered why Colt was being this hesitant, so he nodded for the boy to ask his question.

"Runi, I don't know about this man. I mean isn't this a lot like Devil Worship? With the pentagram and candles and blood and all that?" Colt rushed out the last part so fast Runi almost missed what he was asking.

Knowing how serious this was to Colt, Runi was able to stifle his laughter and replied just as seriously as Colt had asked it. "If this seems close to that 'religion' you speak of, it is simply because those who worship the entity you call Satan took aspects of many 'heathen' religions. What you must understand though is this. The infant religion that spawned this 'Devil Worship', came around several thousand years after I entered into the priesthood. The customs and rituals that we use have been taken and perverted many times over the ages. So it is not our rituals that may seem close to others, but theirs that seem close to ours. Does that make sense?"

Colt nodded with understanding, but Runi knew there was still some hesitation there. They would have to discuss this at more length later on.

With one final nod to Colt, Runi took his position behind a raised pedestal with a large golden chalice sitting atop it. His face was a mask as Colt opened the door, walked out of the room, and a moment later reappeared with the first of the petitioners. Runi wasn't surprised to see Lugh be the first. Colt led Lugh up to Samson, who looked down at both of them. After pausing briefly, Colt took a deep breath and announced loudly, "I bring forth one who wishes to be one with the Hawks. I act as petitioner for this person, ask that he be given consideration, and tested. As per our law!"

Samson bowed towards Colt, then turned fully to Lugh. "You have been brought before me to test. It is my job to test you to make sure that you are worthy to join with me and my brethren. To ensure that you are good enough, pure enough, and wise enough to join the ranks of the Hawks of Anubis. Are you ready to be tested?"

Lugh straightened his back, held his head high as he said two words strongly. "I am".

Samson nodded his head. "So be it. Are you willing to fight and to die by the code of Anubis? Doing what it takes to achieve our goals while still keeping your heart pure? Are you willing to take on the tasks that will be handed to you as a Hawk?"

With out hesitation, Lugh answered clearly. "Yes, I do."

Samson nodded, then extended his arm towards Chris who was next in line. With a nod of Lugh's head, he moved over to stand in front of Chris while Colt brought in the next 'petitioner'. This one was one of the new kids that had just been rescued. Colt and Samson went through the exact same sequence as they did with Lugh.

Meanwhile Lugh was now standing in front of the young human boy, Chris. Normally Chris would be, at least somewhat, scared of standing in front of and challenging a vampire; especially one like Lugh. But since he forced his brother to allow him to join the Hawks, and since he was part of the bond that Runi put in place, Chris knew... deep down inside, he knew... that every member of the Hawks would fight to the death to defend him, just as he would fight to the death to defend them.

Knowing that... ACTUALLY knowing that, changes a person, and Chris was a changed person. With self confidence that Chris would have thought impossible less then a week ago, he puffed out his chest, and in a voice just starting to feel the effects of puberty, he gave his challenge to Lugh. "You come to us wanting to become one of us. Are you worthy? Do you have what it takes to fight for your family? No matter how bad the odds, no matter what we stand against, are you willing to stand with your family? Most importantly though, are you willing to lay your life on the line for those that are innocent?"

The entire time that Chris was delivering his challenge, he never once broke eye contact with the larger man. Lugh knew that this boy was still human, but he saw an intensity in those eyes that almost made him want to take a step back. 'But wasn't that part of the test?' He wondered to himself.

Squaring himself in front of Chris, he took a moment to really consider the boy's words. Finally, he knew what he had to do. Slowly, he let his fangs drop while he raised his wrist to his mouth. With a deliberate motion, he bit down on his wrist causing blood to spill out over his lips. He took his wrist away from his mouth and held it in front of Chris so he could see it. "With the very essence of my soul, the most important thing to one such as myself, I swear on my own blood that I will do as you say. I will fight for my family no matter what the cost to myself is, and I will protect the innocent no matter who they are. This oath I take only to end with my death." Chris nodded and motioned for him to move on to his brother David while not saying anything else. Words would have been pointless at that moment.

Over the next hour or so, every single one of the fourteen people who were not already part of the bond went before the five Hawks meant to test them. Each one was asked the same questions, and all of them responded properly. Now was the time to move onto the next part of the ritual.

With the other six that were already members of the Hawks behind him, Runi addressed the fourteen people who wanted to become members. He looked at them one by one before speaking. "All of you came before us tonight wishing to become members of our family, to become one with us. You have all been tested and found worthy. My family and I have conferred and decided to accept you all as Hawks. Anubis has agreed to accept you all as his champions. There is only one thing left to do, join our blood together." Runi picked up the large golden Chalice that sat on the pedestal in front of him and raised it high into the air.

"I shall call you forward one at a time and ask that you join your blood with ours. In this way, we symbolize that we are all joining our powers to one common goal. With this we join ourselves as one family. From the moment you accept this burden, you pledge yourself to us, and we pledge ourselves to you. No longer will you be just one person, but a part of a much stronger and greater whole." Runi placed the chalice back down, then he bit into his wrist, starting the flow of blood. He held his wrist above the chalice and allowed the blood to drain into it. "With this offering of blood I pledge myself to the service of the Night Hawks of Anubis and pledge myself to the ideals and mission that Lord Anubis wishes for us."

After letting a good amount of blood drip into the cup, he pulled his wrist back when the bleeding stopped. He picked up the chalice and moved to stand before Samson. Once Samson had given his offering into the cup, he moved to Jennifer, then Talon, Duncan and finally Chris and Colt. Since neither of them were vampires and couldn't simply bite themselves, one at a time, they offered their wrist to Runi who, as gently as possible, opened up a small wound on each of their wrists and let them bleed a small amount into the chalice. Once he was satisfied with the amount they had given, he touched their wrists and healed them so they would stop bleeding.

Once the current members had bled into the chalice, Runi moved back to stand in front of the pedestal. He paused for a moment before he spoke again. "Lugh, this is your final chance to back out. Once you join your blood to ours, you will forever become one of us. If you are willing, step forward and give us your offering."

With out hesitation, Lugh stepped forward and not saying anything, he once again opened up his wrist with his fangs. When he had let a good amount of blood drip into the cup Lugh stepped back, sucking on his wrist till the wound closed.

Runi then looked at the next in line. "Cameron Patrick, this is your final chance to back out. Once you join your blood to ours, you will forever become one of us. If you are willing, step forward and give us your offering."

The fourteen year old boy who was one of the rescued stepped forward and offered his blood to the chalice. One by one, Runi called them forward, and they each offered their own blood to the cup. The final one Runi called was the very young ten year old Marco.

When he stepped forward, he looked uncertainly at the cup, not really knowing how he was going to bleed into it. That was until Lugh stepped up next to him and knelt down. Marco looked deep into Lugh's eyes and saw nothing but love and compassion. Only hesitating for a moment, Marco slowly offered his wrist to Lugh.

Lugh was almost moved to tears when he saw the trust that was emanating from Marco as the small boy held his wrist out to Lugh. With as much love and being as gentle as he could, Lugh softly bit down into Marco's wrist, bringing up a few droplets of blood that Marco let fall into the chalice. As soon as Runi was satisfied that he had given enough, he healed the small boy's wrist, and together Lugh and Marco stepped back into line.

Runi smiled to the group before he moved his hands down to pick up the chalice. Before he could lift the cup up, a voice stopped him from behind. "There is one more who wishes to add his essence to yours."

Runi turned around and saw Anubis standing there behind the other Hawks. In the stunned silence that followed his words, the Jackal headed god stepped forward until he was side by side with Runi. He spent a moment meeting eyes with everyone there, then he spoke in a soft voice. "Before me I see a small group of Humans and Night Weavers, that are coming together for a common purpose. With this offering, you have all pledged your service to me, and for that I am eternally grateful. You will probably never really understand what you have done for me, and that is how it should be. However, I have always tried to assist my followers where and when I can." With that, he brought his own wrist to his mouth, and bit into it. Holding his now bleeding wrist over the chalice, he let himself bleed into the cup for several seconds, before pulling it back. All around the room, there was stunned silence, until he pulled his wrist back, then stepped off to the side. "Please continue my priest. There is still much to be done."

Runi hesitantly nodded then turned back to the group. Picking up the Chalice he held it high above his head and started to intone. "This holds all the essence of who we are. Mixed together in this chalice are parts of all of our souls, of all of our powers. In here is a little bit of all of us. Now comes the final part of the bonding that is to happen tonight. To truly accept each other as a family, even closer than a family, we must each bring a bit of the others into ourselves."

"By drinking of this blood, we each draw into ourselves part of the others. We each will be linked to the rest. Never again will any of us be alone. Never again will any of us not know, deep down inside, that we are wanted, that we are part of something so much greater than ourselves."

Runi lowered the chalice then moved to stand in front of Colt. Trying very hard not to make a face, Colt took the chalice with a reverent bow, brought it to his lips and took a very small sip. As happened when he did this before, he 'felt' his mind open up and slowly the other's thoughts started to float into his mind. Runi then moved onto Samson, Jennifer, and so on, until each of the original members of the Hawks had drank from the chalice. It was then, that Runi took a drink himself. He then moved to stand before Lugh who did not hesitate when Runi offered him the cup. Then Runi moved down the line offering each of the new members a sip from the golden chalice. When he got to Marco, he thought that the boy might hesitate since he was being offered a cup full of blood to drink from. However, the boy surprised him. With out hesitating at all, he took it, brought it to his lips and drank a small amount.

He couldn't help the grimace that passed on his face, but still he swallowed the warm thick fluid then looked up at Runi with a smile, then a thoughtful look as the link started to open up in his mind.

When Runi was done with Marco he was slightly surprised to see Anubis standing next to the small boy, making him next in line. Knowing what Anubis wanted, Runi stepped in front of him next, and offered the chalice. Anubis took it in his hands and spoke, not just to Runi, but also to everyone that was there. "While I will not be able to be one with you, or a part of the link, know that I will always hear your thoughts. I may not always be able to help, but I will offer my council as often as I am able. Even though you may not always feel it, know that I am always with you. Once again, I offer my thanks to all of you, and pledge to do what I can to help."

As his words died out, he raised the chalice to his lips and drank fully from it, emptying what was left. When he was done, he handed the cup back to Runi then brought the young priest to his chest in a strong hug. While he held the boy to his chest, he spoke once again to the assembled group. "Welcome to my family, all of you, welcome."

He then went from one person to the next embracing them, and welcoming them personally to the Hawks. For the next hour or so, Anubis made sure to spend a bit of time with each of the members, answering questions, and talking about what they would now be expected to do. It was while he was speaking to Duncan that the question was asked that he had been waiting for.

"Ummmm....Lord Anubis. I really hope I'm not going to offend you or anything, but... well see, I was raised Christian, and well, obviously your not a part of that. I was just kinda wondering how you fit into everything?" Duncan was very nervous about asking this, practically trembling as he spoke, Anubis knew it, and was expecting it. He knew that Duncan's religion was VERY important to the boy, and everything that was happening now was challenging almost everything that he knew. Anubis knew he had to be very careful in how he answered him, but also knew that he would never lie to his children.

Anubis squatted down so that he was on the same level as the red headed teen. "The Ten Commandments that are in your Bible are often misinterpreted when being spoken about. It says specifically that 'you shall have no other gods above me'. That doesn't mean that there are not other beings that some humans believe to be gods out there. Also, look at it this way, there really is only one true God, he just goes by several names. He doesn't really care what you call him, he's really above petty things like that. What He cares about is how you live your life."

Anubis knew he had the boy's attention, but also knew he hadn't really answered his question, not that he really could. "I'm sorry Duncan, but one thing that I have figured out over many, many, many, years is that mortals will probably never be able to actually figure out who and what and how the 'gods' work. You're simply not meant to. Any answer I try to give you would only damage you're faith, and show you how truly simple minded mortals really are. That of course is not really meant to be offensive, it truly just is the way it is." Anubis leaned down with a wicked smile of mirth on his Jackal like face, what he was about to tell Duncan was for the boy's ears only. "To be 100% honest though, no modern religion has ever really come close to figuring out how things really work, and I'm not about to explain it fully. My job is simply to guide, in however a person can understand. It would take several human lifetimes for someone to even come close to figuring out how we operate, and then only if they were able to keep an open mind about things, which mortals are not exactly known for."

 

---

 

Runi sat alone in a corner of the room watching the 'celebration' after the ritual. Listening through the link, he heard how happy everyone was, how excited they were to be a part of something like the Hawks, but more importantly, to have a family. Runi wept.

He wept because he knew what was coming. He didn't know the specifics, thankfully. The one time he was offered the gift of foretelling, he turned it down flat. That was the only extra that Runi had been offered that he would not learn. He didn't want to know the future. But in this case, he didn't need to know the specifics to know what was going to happen.

Just like the time before, when the Hawks were created, they were created for one thing, and one thing only; to fight. Every person in this room, human or vampire, had became one of the Hawks, and Runi knew that they would die sooner rather then later. That's the way it was in the Hawks. Last time their job was to defend Egypt. They did their job, but Runi was the only one left at the end. It was during this time that he took the name Runihura;because it was what he had become. Not only did he utterly destroy his enemies, but he effectively destroyed his family as well. That was the price that was demanded to safe guard their country, and it was a price that was gladly paid; but that does not mean it hurts any less.

'Someday soon', he thought to himself, 'someday soon I will be able to sleep the final sleep, I will be able to drink from the Great Well in Anubis's paradise. Someday soon I will lay all this down, and rest. I've been too long from Ra's light, but soon... soon I will bask in his warmth. I just hope I can last that long with out falling'.

With great effort, Runi pushed those thoughts from his mind, he got up, and joined the others in their celebration. He might not have felt like it, but they didn't need to know. They needed this, and they needed him.

 

---

 

The next week found Runi using the nights to teach the newly re-formed Hawks, how to work together, how to rely on the others, and how to use their extras in concert with everyone else. Most importantly though, he taught them how to use the link. How to act without thinking about it, just by 'knowing' what someone else was going to do. It was not easy, especially for people who are so used to working on their own; but that tactic is what made the Hawks so deadly. So Runi had to drill it into their heads.

The three humans weren't left out of the training either. Runi had yet to ask where Colt got the training he did, even though he knew the style, he didn't think he wanted to know the answer. Colt was actually teaching Marco and Chris how to fight with a staff. Somehow, and Runi didn't ask how, Colt was able to get two more medallions and stave's for the two boys. Both of them sized perfectly for their smaller size.

Even though the humans would not get any of the extras that the vampires had, they did benefit greatly from the link. The first main benefit was the fact that vampires outside of the link could not read their minds. That, in and of itself, would make most vampires pause as they were used to reading a humans mind as easily as listening to a radio.

The second was something that they hadn't even noticed yet, although Runi had. All three of them were slightly stronger and reacted faster than a normal human. Runi knew that this would fade over time unless they drank more vampire blood. He wasn't going to tell them unless they asked though, he didn't want them to get used to drinking vampire's blood unless they chose it, not because they thought they had to.

During that time, they also all got to know each other. All of them were very curious about Runi, and how things were back when he was first turned, but Runi also made sure that they all talked about themselves as well. It really helped them bond as a group, as well as understand where each other was coming from.

What did surprise Runi was when Colt started talking. He had heard some of what Colt went through before he took off from his dad, but now he had the full story, and was going to make sure it wasn't an issue anymore. Runi was really interested in meeting the Harris family, but before he could do that, he needed to take care of Colt's dad.

That's how Runi found himself leaving just after the sun went down, and heading into Philadelphia, where Colt grew up. First, he would take care of Colt's mother. He knew it wouldn't be that hard since most bullies who like to beat on little kids do it because they couldn't beat up on people their own size. And Runi definitely wasn't one who was as helpless as his size and apparent age might say.

It was just after two in the morning when Runi found the house that Colt grew up in. It was a decent, two story, house that was suitably looked after, but wouldn't win any awards. Runi couldn't help but smile when he saw that there was a police car in the driveway. Now he wouldn’t have to waste time trying to find dear old dad. He sent his mind into the house and found only two people inside, both of them were asleep. Things couldn't have been easier had he tried to set it up this way.

Silently he made his way around the back, found the back door, and used his strength to break the door handle silently. Once inside the house, he quickly and quietly made his way up stairs , following where the sleeping minds were, Runi quickly found himself staring at two sleeping people.

Runi's eyes turned red with rage, as his fangs dropped. He really wanted nothing more than to just jump on the bed and tear the two of them limb from limb, but he had something far more fitting in mind. These two were the ones that caused the boy he loved, more than anything, so much pain. These two were the ones that caused Colt to actually think about killing himself. These were the two that forced Colt to go out and sell his body on the streets just so he could get enough money to eat a decent meal every couple of days. No... a quick and easy death was two good for these two. Runi would make them suffer in a way that very few other's could do.

Reaching into their minds, he made it so that neither one of them could utter a sound physically. No need to end the fun early, by one of them screaming and causing others to investigate. He then recreated the room in his mind, and brought the two sleeping adults into it. This way he was in complete control of everything that happened. While he couldn't actually kill them in here, he could make them believe that everything that happened in here was real. Then it would be a simple task of killing the bodies while the mind was still in shock.

Runi kept the man sleeping while he grabbed the woman, pulled her from the bed, and sat her down in the a chair. She tried to fight back, but Runi was too strong for her. Holding her down with one hand, and keeping her mouth shut with the other, Runi brought ropes out and made them wrap around the woman, including gagging her when he moved his hands. Once again, Runi was enjoying being in his mind scape where everything responded to his simple thought. Once she was sufficiently bound, Runi stepped back grinning evilly. "So, your the woman who likes to beat on little kids? Your the one who liked to sit back and watch as your husband raped your son? I would ask if you have anything to say for yourself; but to be blunt, I could really care less what you have to say."

While carefully controlling his strength, Runi lashed out, and struck the woman across her face. While he made sure not to hit her hard enough to spoil his fun to early, he did hit her hard enough to loosen a few teeth, split her lip, and cause her head to snap to the side hard enough to almost knock her and the chair over.

She tried to scream, but the gag stopped most of the sound from coming out. When he was sure he had her attention again, Runi leaned in close and spoke softly. "You know.. I have to wonder; you liked watching as your husband raped your son... I wonder if you'll enjoy watching your husband get raped? What do you think?"

Before she could say anything, not that Runi would be able to understand through the gag, he turned and walked towards the still sleeping man. When he got next to him, he released the control he had on his mind that kept him sleeping, then slapped him across the face.

The man, to his credit, rolled off the side of the bed and came back up ready to fight. When he saw the small form of Runi, he relaxed while getting a very confused look on his face. "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" The man yelled after seeing his wife tied up.

Runi grinned a demonic grin that showed off his descended fangs and his glowing red eyes. "I am vengeance."

The man laughed as he started to come around the bed towards Runi. "I don't know what kind of game your trying to play here kid, but your about to get hurt real bad."

Runi moved slowly back from the bed so as to give himself more room to maneuver. This man wanted a fight, and he was going to give him one; but he wasn't going to make it end quickly. Not quickly at all. "I am not playing any games here. It is time for you to pay for what you have done to your own son."

The man stopped and grinned even wider. "So the little fagot sent you did he? He really should have sent someone a bit bigger than you. I should probably thank him though. When he left he took away the finest piece of tight ass I've ever had, but now it looks like he sent me a replacement. I'm really going to enjoy ripping your ass apart!" The man couldn't have telegraphed his move any clearer if he'd tried. As soon as he was done speaking, he lunged for Runi. All Runi had to do was side step the man, then he grabbed him as he went by, using the force of the man's rush, while adding a bit of his own strength to it, Runi threw the man head first into the dresser.

For a moment, Runi was concerned that he had used too much strength as the dresser shattered under the impact, but the man was tougher than Runi would have given him credit for. Even though he was bleeding from a wound on the top of his head, the man jumped back to his feet, and turned to face Runi grinning.

"You know, this might be more fun the I had thought. Colt was too much of a pussy to ever fight back. All he ever did was whimper and cry like the little bitch that he was!"

Runi had to fight to keep his calm. He knew what the man was doing, but Runi wouldn't fall into the trap. Colt's father charged him again, and this time Runi allowed the man to grab him. The two went down in a tangle of arms and legs, and Runi actually let the man hit him a few times. More to make the man wonder why his punches weren't really effecting the boy.

Finally, Runi decided to stop playing, at least like this, so he threw the man off of him, throwing him a good ten feet away. When the man struggled to his feet he looked at Runi who was also back to his feet and grinning. Now Runi could see the man was getting a bit worried. "What the hell are you?"

Runi grinned, "You know, I figured having a kid a smart as Colt, you'd have at least a little bit of intelligence in you somewhere. I guess it's obvious Colt didn't get it from you." Runi grin changed from amusement to one of almost sweet innocence. "Let's see if we can put it together for you. Glowing red eyes, fangs, someone my size, yet is stronger than you are, and even taking your blows , and I still got to my feet faster than you did... think you can put it together now?"

The man's mouth dropped open wider and wider as Runi spoke, and finally, the man was able to almost squeak out, "you're a... you're a fucking vampire?!"

"Oh my... your two lonely brain cells must have collided and gave you a thought. Even more impressive is the fact that you got it right!" Runi said as he started to clap. The man looked half way between wanting to run and wanting to attack the small boy again. Finally better sense prevailed, and the man tried to run to the door. Faster than the man's mind could comprehend, Runi moved over and blocked the doorway. The man skidded to a stop and started to look around in a panic. "Oh no..." Runi said, once again grinning wickedly. "You're not getting away. I haven't even begun to have my fun with you."

The man spun and started to run towards the window, but only made it about five steps before Runi was once again in front of him, only this time, Runi hit the man in the chest with an open palm strike, sending the man flying backwards, and knocking the breath from his lungs.

As the man struggled to his feet, and struggled to catch his breath, Runi was sniggering as he walked calmly over to the tied up woman. Her wide eyed, terror filled look almost made Runi feel sorry for her. Then he thought back to the images that Colt saw when he pleaded with her to help him as daddy held him down and shoved his penis inside the eight year old boy's bottom. With barely restrained rage that the image created inside of Runi, he lashed out with several slaps and open handed strikes centering on the woman's chest and midsection. Trying not to do any damage that would kill her yet, but wanting her to be in as much pain as he could make her without her passing out.

By the time she was done, the man had struggled back to his feet and was trying to figure out how to get away from Runi, or at least something that he could try and fight Runi off with. Before he could do anything though, Runi ran over, grabbed him, and threw him face down on the bed.

Jumping on top of the man, Runi held him down while he spoke into the man's ear. "Now, I think it's time for you to feel what it's like to have your clothing torn from your body and held down while someone forces themselves into a place that is much to small for them."

The man started screaming and trying to throw Runi off of him, which normally he could have done, due to Runi's small size. However, this was Runi's mind so when he started to shift himself into his Demonic Visage, in the mind scape he really did turn into that form, rather than just making people think he turned himself into it.

With wickedly sharp talons, Runi tore the man's shorts from his body. The man was pleading and begging for Runi not to hurt him, but Runi would have none of it. "Do your words remind you of what Colt did? Does your begging sound anything at all like what your own son did when you held him down? I hope they do, because you will get the same amount of mercy from me as you gave to him." With that, Runi drove his over sized penis deep into the man. The ear shattering scream of pain the erupted from the man didn't give Runi any satisfaction. But he knew he was giving the kind of vengeance that Colt deserved, so he drove himself in and out of the screaming man, never allowing the man to pass out, that would be too easy, and too kind.

 

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Several minutes later, the man's screams turned into nothing more than horse pleas to end the agony. Runi had not allowed the man's mind to shut down like it wanted to several times. He made sure the man felt everything that happened to him. Not only the penetration, but also the blows that Runi had rained down on the man during it. Finally though, it was over, and Runi pulled himself out of the man. Colt's father would never harm another child again. Once again, Runi wished that what was happening here in his mind scape was actually real. While he knew that to the two of them, it was real, the fact was... when he was ready, he would leave the mind scape and they would eventually wake up.

Runi moved over to the terrified woman who had just watched what Runi had done to her husband. Before she could try and say anything through the gag, Runi started in on her. He didn't rape her as she had never done anything sexual to Colt, but he did start to beat her. He pulled off her gag and she immediately started to try and beg Runi not to hurt her anymore. That only enraged Runi more because he knew that several times Colt had begged her not to hurt him. He almost had to laugh though when she started to beg her husband to stop Runi.

Finally, after several minutes of beating on the woman, Runi pulled back, and made her watch as he slowly brought his claws close to her neck. "It is time to end this. I would say I hope this taught you something, but you will not live long enough to learn anything else. With that, he slowly drew his claws across her throat, opening up three deep gashes that allowed her life blood to spill from her body.

Runi stepped back and allowed himself to revert back to his normal form and size, then willed the blood and gore off his body, before picking his cloak back up and putting it on. Looking around, he once again lamented the fact that this wasn't real. With a sigh, he willed himself and the other two back into the real world.

 

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Runi sat in the chair and waited for close to twenty minutes before the two started to stir. While they may not have actually been physically harmed while in his mind scape, their minds were still shocked so badly that it took a while for them to settle down enough for the two adults to actually wake up.

Colt's mother woke up with a startled gasp, that almost turned into a scream when she saw Runi sitting there, except the scream died in her throat. However, her movement was enough to wake up her husband, who actually lost his bladder when he saw Runi.

Runi stood up from the chair, his eyes glowing red with barely suppressed rage, and his fangs fully extended. He took two steps towards the bed and both of them tried to back away from him. "There is no where for you to run. I am Vengeance and Vengeance will be served on this evening."

Diving into their minds, he forced both of them to get out of bed and come to stand before him. He could see in their wild eyes that they had no idea what was going on and why they were doing what they were doing, that only filled him with a small bit of satisfaction. "I have seen into Colt's mind, and the fear I see in your eyes now, is the same fear that was in his eyes every time that you beat him... and worse. I could arrange it so that you were to go through everything that you have gone through this night, every night, for the rest of your lives. How does that sound to you? Every night you go to sleep, you will find me waiting in your dreams to kill you over and over again until you slowly loose your minds. Do you think that is a fitting punishment for what you have done to your son?"

Reading their minds, neither one of them were at all remorseful over what they did to Colt, they were only trying to figure out how to save their own lives. Then he thought of Colt. The look in his eyes when he told everyone about what happened to him, but more so, what Runi saw in his mind. He was fighting every day to NOT become like his parents. That's why he was so opposed to doing anymore than necessary to get what they needed; but that's also why Colt was named as his conscience.

Runi sighed and nodded to himself. As much as he would like to make them suffer, what he had done was enough. "As much as I would like it, your son would look down upon me if I made you suffer more. Know this though, it's his mercy that makes me do this, not mine." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Runi leapt, first on the father, then after feeding on him, Runi took the mother and fed on her. He didn't drain either one of them, since he didn't need to feed that much. He simply drained them enough to kill them.

With a sigh and shake of his head after letting her body fall to the floor, he made a motion with his hand, more out of habit than anything else, and both of their bodies burst into flames.

As he left the room, he turned down the hall, and went room by room seeing if he could find Colt's bedroom. When he found it, he was somewhat surprised to see that it looked like the room hadn't been touched since Colt left two years ago. He looked around and saw something that he remembered from one of the images from Colt's mind. It was a small stuffed dog. Colt's older cousin had given it to him on his fifth birthday. It was one of the only gifts that Colt ever got in his life.

Runi picked it up and saw in his minds eye the first night that Colt's father raped the then seven year old Colt, he held the dog the entire time. Every time after that, when dad would come into his room in the middle of the night, Colt would hold the dog the entire time.

With a small smile, Runi tucked the dog under his arm and walked out of the room. He knew it was going to be both good and bad when Colt saw the dog. Runi just hoped that it would end up helping.

 

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Editor's Note:

The ritual was handled very well. They have so much to learn!

Then, Colt's parents. Part of me wanted their punishment to be more, but Runi was right, Colt wouldn't have wanted that. The stuffed dog and the memory of it being the only gift Colt received and how he held onto it during the worst moments of his young life. I cried again, so emotional.

Cynaira

 

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Editor's Note:

Well done Roland!! This was a great chapter and understanding more about the Hawks and how they were formed was very nice. Anubis showing up was a great touch and it gave credit to what Runi was doing. I can't wait to see what these Hawks will be dealing with! What they are going to be capable of. I agree with Cynaira about the parents and the punishment as well. I feel for Colt and hope the healing does begin.

Until the next chapter, this is your friendly neighborhood editing puppy!

Boxerdude